25 years in prison for Catalan referendum

The Spanish prosecutor’s office demands a 25-year prison sentence for the leader of the pro-independence Catalanparty Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ErC), Oriol Junqueras, for a challenge to the central government that resulted in the unilateral declaration of independence on October 27, 2017. Junqueras is charged with the Medieval crime of “rebellion”.

After a year of investigations, the prosecutor presented the request for sentences, ranging from 25 years for former Catalan vice president to 16 for five former “advisors”: Jordi Turull,Raul Romeva, Joaquim Forn, Dolors Bassa and Josep Rull.

For the leaders of Omnium Cultural and the Catalan National Assembly, Jordi Cuixartand Jordi Sanchez, the prosecution requests 17 years in jail and a 17-year ban on holding public office, similar punishment is proposed for the former CatalanParliament Speaker Carme Forcadell.

I am stunned by the prison sentences required against political prisoners in #Catalonia 25 years against @junqueras, 16 against @raulromeva. I will be in #Barcelona on Monday to visit my former fellow MEPs and other prisoners in prison.

All are charged with “rebellion“, a crime that carries a 30-year maximum sentence. For the three advisers who are not in detention – Carles Mundó, Maritxell Borrás and Santiago Vila – the requested sentence is limited to 7 years, since they are accused only of embezzlement.